Friday, July 04, 2014

RFC Summer Semester: Midwest Conference (MWC) Preview (NCAA Division III)

Midwest Conference (MWC)--NCAA Division III

Website

2013 Final Standings

All-Time Football Standings (Courtesy of the Midwest Conference) 

Past Football Seasons (Courtesy of the Midwest Conference)

Looking back: Despite losing back-to-back contests to close out the 2013 season, the St. Norbert College Green Knights still managed to win the Midwest Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs. They fell to eventual national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater, 31-7, in the first round.


Looking ahead: Who will come out on top in the MWC at the end of the 2014 season? If the way 2013 ended is any indication, expect another tight race in this competitive conference this fall.

Predicted order of finish (2013 overall record in parentheses):

1. St. Norbert (8-3):  Don't be surprised if the Green Knights end up on top come November.

2. Lake Forest (8-2):  But the Foresters hope that the third time will be the charm after back-to-back eight-win seasons over the last two years.

3. Illinois College (8-2):  The Blueboys hope to bounce back after a season-ending two-game skid cost them a chance at postseason play last year after starting 8-0.

4. Cornell (Iowa)--(7-3):  Thanks to a season-ending three-game winning streak to finish 7-2 in MWC play last season, the Rams not only enjoyed their best season in about 12 years, they could also be serious contenders for the league title this year.

5. Carroll (Wis.)--(6-4):  With the imminent return to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) after this season, the Pioneers hope to go out of the MWC with a bang: as in winning a league title.

6. Ripon (7-3):  The Red Hawks hope to have a say in who wins the 2014 MWC crown after finishing 6-3 in conference play in 2013.

7. Monmouth (Ill.)--(5-5):  The Scots held their own in 2013, winning back-to-back games to avoid a losing season. Hopefully, that small streak will carry over into 2014.

8. Grinnell (2-8):  The Pioneers face a long, uphill battle after finishing 2-7 in MWC action last year.

9. Beloit (1-9):  The Buccaneers will start the 2014 season with a new head coach in Seth Duerr. He faces a tough task in rebuilding a program that hasn't won at least seven games since the late 1990's.

10. Knox (1-9):  The Prairie Fire was one of three teams--the aforementioned Beloit being first--to finish MWC play in the basement at 1-8 last season.

11. Lawrence (1-9):  The Vikings were the third such squad.


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